My 55-200 is AF-S, has VR II Image Stabilization which I like very much, its been a great lens. It looks like the AF-P does not have stabilization... Is that the major difference?

I ran my Nikor 70-300 that does not auto focus today, I got a few that were soft focus, its pretty difficult to get focus PERFECT but I did get 99% of them sharp. I like the extra 100mm of reach over my AF-S 200mm zoom, I was able to get EXACTLY the shots I wanted at a distance, that my 200mm would not allow me to get.

(What I *really* want is teh 18-300 All In One, but... $900 will have to wait for a big bingo winning or lotto jackpot!)

Thanks much for your time,
Andrew

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I would like to get a nice 70-300 lens (mind you, Im firstly budget minded).

My 55-200 is AF-S, has VR II Image Stabilization which I like very much, its been a great lens. It looks like the AF-P does not have stabilization... Is that the major difference?

Definitely. Vibration Reduction (VR) is Nikon-speak for image stabilization, where some lens elements move in response to small rotations in the lens to keep reduce the amount by which the image moves about on the imager when the camera is moved slightly, greatly reducing blur from camera motion. As a general rule, the longer the (full-frame equivalent) focal length of the lens, the more useful this feature is for handheld shooting. With VR, you can successfully shoot handheld at much slower shutter speeds than would be possible without the feature. The VR feature is usually only partly effective below about 1/16 second and ineffective below about 1/8 second. VR is also ineffective against subject movement; then again, a tripod would also be ineffective against subject movement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShutterKlick

I ran my Nikor 70-300 that does not auto focus today, I got a few that were soft focus, its pretty difficult to get focus PERFECT but I did get 99% of them sharp. I like the extra 100mm of reach over my AF-S 200mm zoom, I was able to get EXACTLY the shots I wanted at a distance, that my 200mm would not allow me to get.

(What I *really* want is teh 18-300 All In One, but... $900 will have to wait for a big bingo winning or lotto jackpot!)

You might also consider instead a second body so that you can have a short 18-70 mm on one camera and your existing 70-300 mm zoom on the other.

I dont have the 70-300 yet, thats what Im shopping for. I have the 50-200 AF-S currently.

I read your response and you point out some very good points. I am leaning toward the AF-P for 2 reasons, first is the limit of funds.. the re-certified AF-P lens is a lot cheaper, and second I do a fair share of video so the "silent" focus would be appreciated.

Additionally, since posting I have had the chance to do more in-depth research, coupled with what I am reading here and what I have learned on Google, I am pretty confident the AF-P lens will perform for me well albeit some limitations which I can live with.

............
The VR feature is usually only partly
effective below about 1/16 second and
ineffective below about 1/8 second.
.........

This is true for midrange FLs. As you get to
longer FLs, the VR in the lens is designed for
a greater compensation cuz the same degree
of user unsteadiness produces a far greater
degree of image movement across the sensor.

IOW, if a particular user finds VR helpful for
their typical usage of a 24-85 midrange zoom
in the 1/8 to 1/60 shutter range, then that
same user will find that the VR on a 70-300
serves them about equally well for the 1/30
to 1/250 shutter range.

-----------------------------------------

Thaz all approximate, but the main message
is that the degree of VR effect is "baked into"
the lens design according to the FL range of
each lens. Your actual experience of the VR
benefit is affected by variables other than FL,
just as your ability to steady a non-VR lens is
affected by the situations in which you work.

And P.S. I gotta hugely agree that VR is VERY
worthwhile. If I needed a 300mm, but when I
shop for it, I find my budget will buy either a
non-VR 300 or a VR-equipt 200 ? I'll definitely
find a way to work with the 200VR ! YMMV

It's my edumacated suspicion
that usually they are both the
same thing. I suspect that most
refurbs are simply returns due
to user error or to unreasonable
user expectation, IOW the gear
was actually found faultless on
inspection.

I think open box specials come
from places having easy return
policies, and that where return
policies are less generous, the
buyer claims a fault in the gear
to avoid return shipping cost or
restocking fees. No doubt some
refurbs are actually refurbed
due to some fault. I don't lose
any sleep over that

Zon is pretty awesome... When you submit for a return, they send you a return label that you print and put on the box.. even return shipping is free! (Im a Prime member so not sure if that is one of my perks). Ive used it once and it was truly no questions/hassle free.

As far as user error and unreal expectations... I think you just described 75% of consumers.

I already know the lens Im buying has limitations.. and Im perfectly okay with that. For a $400 tele, its not going to rock the world but Im sure it will take some fine pictures.

DX is the nikon term for Digital Single Lens Reflex (or DSLR) with a crop sensor , there is also FF or Full Frame , this is from the time we had "exchangeable sensors or film" the dx frame is slightly smaller and thus has a crop from the full frame

af-s is a focus system from nikon af=auto focus s=single point , wich is not total covered
hope to have shed a light

........
af-s is a focus system from nikon af=auto
focus s=single point , wich is not total
covered hope to have shed a light

Uhhhnn, no. Thaz shedding darkness :-(

"AF-S" is two different, but related, things,
neither of which means "single point". As a
camera setting, it's almost what you called
it. But it's "single shot", not "single point".

"Single shot AF" [AF-S] is the opposite of
"Continuous AF" [AF-C]. IOW "AF-S" is not
the opposite of multi-point AF.

You can shoot multi-point AF in the single
shot AF-S mode.

Other than being a camera control setting,
"AF-S" is also designates that a lens has a
a certain feature called feature "silent wave"
drive, just as just as "AF-D" designates the
lens has a certain feature [of reporting the
subject distance to the camera].

AF-S lenses a offered with and without VR,
and in both DX and FX formats.

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